


They Live In Me

by goldenAUs



Category: The Lion King (1994)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, At least a bittersweet one, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Inspired by Fanart, Not Beta Read, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2020-01-01 04:44:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18328865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenAUs/pseuds/goldenAUs
Summary: Sarabi's spirit is lifted by another spirit.





	They Live In Me

**Author's Note:**

> [This lovely fan art](https://www.deviantart.com/elbel1000/art/He-ll-Always-be-with-us-645256974) I stumbled upon one day just kind of prompted me to crank this little drabble/one shot/whatever you want to call it out one day. I don't know who the artist is, though, but I applaud them for making something so beautiful and compelling me to finally be brave enough to post something on the Archive. It's amazing what gives you inspiration, isn't it?
> 
> I'm pretty new at sharing what I write, let alone uploading what I write for all to see here, so if you have any tips or suggestions for navigating the fan fiction world in the future, I would love to hear them! (And if there are any mistakes here, that would be really good to know too.)

Sarabi glanced up at the sky as she lay near Pride Rock’s edge. Once again she had awoken in the dead of night and had settled on sitting outside until exhaustion took hold and gave her no choice but to retreat back into the cavern where the rest of her weary pride was fast asleep. Only tonight, she couldn’t see anything through the thick shroud of clouds above her and for once she was thankful. 

Her anchor and her pride and joy, who had to leave too soon and take to the stars, didn’t have to endure the heartbreak of seeing their old home and their family falling to pieces tonight. She, in turn, didn’t have to see their horror and regret in the starlight that she swore went from emitting a warm, radiant glow to projecting cold, lonely beams of light since they’ve been gone.

It took a long time for her to get used to the sick irony of finding no peace and comfort whenever she looked up at the night sky. But then again she had to get used to a lot of things—ravenous hyenas, fruitless hunts, Scar’s audacity to banish Nala.

And most of all, the heaviness in her heart that threatened to crush what was left of her spirit and her willingness to go on. 

She sighed as she rest her head on her paws, refusing to stare at anything but the cold stone beneath her as the frigid wind left her shivering and quiet sobs beginning to rise from deep in her chest left her trembling.

She hated herself for being like this, but she supposed it was better to be just another lioness torn apart by grief and despair by night than be a visibly weary queen in front of the lionesses who looked to her for strength and guidance by day. So she let herself weep and wish that the barren earth would swallow her whole.

Just then another gust of wind began to pick up. She curled into herself further, bracing for the relentless chill it would bring, but instead of making her shiver, it gently enveloped her in what she could only describe as a warm embrace as seeds and leaves from afar swirled around her. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply in content as sat up and looked at the swaying trees, their susurrus seeming to whisper words of comfort to her.

It was gone as fast it came and she didn’t dare to look up and watch it go even if she wanted to because she couldn’t see it. It was just a breeze. 

But it stirred something inside her just like the leaves that had rustled to life above her. She may not have been able to see it, but she felt it, so she rose to her feet as the breeze rushed past her, letting those seeds guide her gaze towards the horizon where her eyes were met with the most brilliant sunrise she had ever seen.

It broke through the clouds as the sky became its canvas and burned away the stars that she dreaded so much. If the wind had stirred her spirit before, then those magnificent colors brought her soul to life and provided her with what she had been denied for so long—strength to hold her head high, courage to carry on, and power to hope. 

Much to her surprise, the breeze circled around again, bringing her even more of the peace and comfort than the stars ever could. As she took in a deep another breath and closed her eyes once more, focusing on nothing but the wind’s soothing caress and the sun’s warmth in her face, a little smile began to spread across the face. 

The wind was right. It was a new day, she sensed it, and they were there, she felt it. In her heart, her memories, and now, on the horizon. She didn’t need to keep looking up at those cold stars in vain anymore. There was nothing to see there now. After all, they were just stars.

**Author's Note:**

> I am on Tumblr and Pillowfort (which is brand new) under the same usernames too! Check 'em out if you want. I'll be posting art based on what I (or sometimes other people) write, doing some good old fashioned fanart in general, and drawing AU prompts on both. And I'll be reblogging fandom stuff on Tumblr too (obviously).
> 
> Either way feel free to take a looksee!


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